Tropical Storm Amanda, the first named system that the National Hurricane Center is tracking for the 2026 Hurricane Season, may soon be joined by a second and third system forming on its heels.
The National Hurricane Center actively monitors and forecasts tropical cyclones like tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes in three hurricane basins: the Central Pacific, where Hawaii is, the Eastern Pacific, which is along and near the Pacific coast of Mexico, and the Atlantic, which includes the Gulf of America, the Caribbean, and adjacent areas around the East Coast. While Hurricane Season began on May 15 for the Eastern Pacific basin, it started on June 1 for the Central Pacific and Atlantic basins; all three conclude at the end of November.
Tropical Storm Amanda is well east of Hawaii and pretty far west of the North American continent; it is located at 12.5N 130.5W which is roughly 1,530 miles west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California. With maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and a minimum central pressure of 1006 mb or 29.71″, the storm is moving to the northwest for now at 9 mph.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Amanda is expected to make a turn toward the west-northwest and then head due west over the next couple of days. An eventual turn toward the southwest at a slower forward speed is forecast later this weekend. As it spins about, the NHC expects some possible strengthening today and tonight but also forecasts a gradual weakening trend to start on Friday night or Saturday. Officially, the NHC expects Amanda to become a post-tropical remnant low sometime this weekend. Global computer forecast model output projects as Amanda’s remnants travel closer to Hawaii into the Central Pacific basin, they will pass far south of the islands, thereby sparing it from any tropical downpours from its ample moisture pool.
While Amanda fades away with time, the NHC expects two new systems to form in the eastern Pacific.
The first area of concern is a trough of low pressure located well offshore of southwestern Mexico; it is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms now. Environmental conditions appear conducive for development of this system, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the next several days while it moves slowly northward or north-northeastward near the coast of southern Mexico. Right now, the NHC believes there’s only a 20% chance that it’ll develop into a depression or stronger over the next 48 hours but those odds rise to 80% over the next 7 days.
The second system of concern is offshore of Central America. A trough of low pressure offshore of Central America is producing some disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. According to the NHC, environmental conditions appear conducive for development of this system, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the next several days while it moves slowly northward. Like the other system to its north, there’s low odds of formation over the next 48 hours, with the NHC saying there’s only a 10% chance. But those odds rise to 70% over the next 7 days.
